Apparatus for providing hot and cold beverages and for selectively dispensing same in motor vehicles



Feb. 9, 1965 J. R. BROWN 3,158,914

APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING HOT AND COLD BEVERAGES AND FOR SELECTIVELYDISPENSING SAME IN MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 18, 1962 l2 s9 52 2 8 3 6 t4FIG. I I6 INVENT OR ATTORNEY United States Patent APPARATUS FORPRGVIDING HOT AND COLD The present invention generally relates to anapparatus for providing hot and cold beverages in motor vehicles andmore particularly to such an apparatus which employs the vacuum inducedin the intake manifold of the vehicle to dispense the beverages.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a beveragedispensing bar for installation under the dashboard of an automobile foreasy access thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus fordispensing hot or cold water together with flavor additives or the like,the materials being selectively dispensed by control valves.

A very impontant object of this invention is to provide a beveragedispenser for vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines inwhich the vacuum in the intake manifold is used to discharge thebeverage and the glass serves as a connecting chamber to communicatewith the supply of beverage whereby the beverage can only be dispensedwhen the glass is in proper orientation for receiving the beverage.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a beveragedispenser for automobiles which is simple in construction, easy toinstall, easy to operate, tamper-proof, adapted to dispense variousliquids and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a pant hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the beverage dispenser of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device; and

FIGURE 3 is a top plan sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing along section line 33 of FIGURE 2 illustrating the orientationof the control valves.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, numeral generally designatesthe beverage dispenser of the present invention which is preferablymounted under the dashboard 12 of an automobile although it may bemounted in other places if desired.

The dispenser 10 includes a hollow housing or casing 14- having adepending semi-spherical or rounded lower portion 16 provided with anexternal covering of rubber 18 or similar resilient material for sealingengagement with the month end of a drinking glass, cup or container 20whereby the glass 20 will be eifectively sealed to portion 16 inencircling relation to a discharge o ening 22 therein.

The housing 14 has a central control valve 24 communicated with theintake manifold of an internal combustion engine (not shown) by a tubeor pipe 26. A control knob or handle 28 for valve 24 projects throughthe front of the housing for access by an operator. Also, a dependingtube 36 is connected with the valve 24 and communicated wtih the opening22.

Alongside valve 24 is a cold water valve 32 having tube 34 communicatedwith a cold Water source and an operating knob or handle 36. A dependingtube 38 communicates with the tube 30 or discharge opening 22. A gingerale valve 40 is disposed alongside of valve 32 and a tube 42 extends toa ginger ale extract source. A control knob 44 is provided for valve 40and a needle type regulating valve 46 is provided in tube 42 on theinlet side of valve ,40 to regulate the quantity of ginger ale extractdischarged into the tube 38 through tube 47 thereby providing a beverageof the desired portions of water and ginger ale.

Alongside the other side of va1ve 24 is a hot water valve 48 having atube 50 communicating with a hot water supply and a control knob 52 forcontrol thereof The valve 48 has a depending tube 54 communicated withthe discharge opening 22 and tube 30. A coffee valve 56 is providedalongside valve 48 and has a tube 58 communicated with a coffee extractsupply source. The valve 56 has a control knob 60 and a needle typeregulating valve 62 on the intake side of the valve 56 therebyregulating the quantity of coffee extract mixed with the hot Waterthrough tube 64.

Each control knob is connected to its respective valve by any suitablelink or rod and the entire structure may be of plastic, metal orcombinations thereof.

In using this invention, the glass controls the operation of the devicesince the glass closes the opening 22 thereby inducing a vacuum in tubes38 and 54 and in the short tubes connecting valves 40 and 56 with valves32 and 48 thus making it impossible to overflow the glass. The valvesmay be conventional push-pull type and the shape and size of the housingmay vary and also the arrangement of the tubing.

The heat for the hot water may be provided by a suitable heat exchangerwhich may utilize the normally wasted heat in the exhaust products. Arefrigerant system is provided for cold water and the variousaccessories may be positioned in the trunk or wherever desired. Variousadditional valves may be added if more beverages are desired. Thefoolproof construction of the invention prevents children from obtainingliquid therefrom unless the glass is held in place. The vacuum willretain the glass in place as long as the engine is running and thevacuum valve 24 open.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact constructon and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A beverage dispenser for use in the dispensing of beverages into areceptacle for use in an automobile having an internal combustion enginewith an intake manifold, said automobile having a dashboard, saiddispenser comprising; a generally flat, plate-like housing adapted to bemounted on said dashboard; a dependent substantially semi-sphericaldispensing head extending from the lower side of said housing contouredto fit within and sealably engage an upper portion of a said receptacle,and having a discharge opening therein; discharge tube means extendingupwardly from said opening; vacuum pipe means in said housing adapted tocommunicate between said head and said intake manifold; a plurality ofvalves in said housing, and comprising parallel drillings formed in theplane thereof, valve seats in said drillings, closures for said valveseats, and'rods extending from said closures to the exterior of one sideof said housing; a first said valve interconnecting said discharge tubemeans and said vacuum pipe means; a plurality of liquid supply pipesextending into said housing; second said valves for each of said liquidsupply pipes; a sen'es of tubes interconnecting'saiid second valves andsaid discharge tube means whereby, when a said receptacle is placed insealing engagement with said head in registration with said opening, andsaid first valve is opened, a vacuum will be applied retaining saidreceptacle thereon and causing liquid flow therethrough as said secondvalves are selectively opened.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said valves isprovided with an operating handle projecting exteriorly of the housingfor control thereof.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said liquid valve meansincludes a water valve and a flavor extract valve, and a needle typeregulating valve combined with the extract valve.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said 1 a vacuum pipe meansand said supply pipes comprise parallel drillings formed side by side ina common plane in said housing.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said discharge tube meansand said series of tubes comprise conduits extending between the planeof said housing and the lower pontion of said dispensing head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,374,436 Conway Apr. 12, 1921 2,573,888 Benjamin Nov. 6, 1951 2,675,951Oriol Apr. 20, 1954 2,722,658 Richards Nov. 1, 1955 2,830,613 Mason Apr.15, 1958 2,982,447 Austin -5 May 2, 1961

1. A BEVERAGE DISPENSER FOR USE IN THE DISPENSING OF BEVERAGES INTO ARECEPTACLE FOR USE IN AN AUTOMOBILE HAVING AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINEWITH AN INTAKE MANIFOLD, SAID AUTOMOBILE HAVING A DASHBOARD, SAIDDISPENSER COMPRISING: A GENERALLY FLAT, PLATE-LIKE HOUSING ADAPTED TO BEMOUNTED ON SAID DASH-BOARD; A DEPENDENT SUBSTANTIALLY SEMISPHERICALDISPENSING HEAD EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER SIDE OF SAID HOUSING CONTOUREDTO FIT IWTHIN SAID SEALABLY ENGAGE AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID RECEPTACLE,AND HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING THEREIN; DISCHARGE TUBE MEANS EXTENDINGUPWARDLY FROM SAID OPENING; VACUUM PIPE MEANS IN SAID HOUSING ADAPTED TOCOMMUNICATE BETWEEN SAID HEAD AND SAID INTAKE MANIFOLD; A PLURALITY OFVALVES IN SAID HOUSING, AND COMPRISING PARALLEL DRILLINGS FORMED IN THEPLANE THEREOF, VALVE SEATS IN SAID DRILLINGS CLOSURES FOR SAID VALVESEATS, AND RODS EXTENDING FROM SAID CLOSURES TO THE EXTERIOR OF ONE SIDEOF SAID HOUSING; A FIRST SAID VALVE INTERCONNECTING SAID DISCHARGE TUBEMEANS AND SAID VACUUM PIPE MEANS; A PLURALITY OF LIQUID SUPPLY PIPESEXTENDING INTO SAID HOUSING; SECOND SAID VALVES FOR EACH OF SAID LIQUIDSUPPLY PIPES; A SERIES OF TUBES INTERCONNECTING SAID SECOND VALVES ANDSAID DISCHARGE TUBE MEANS WHEREBY, WHEN A SAID RECEPTACLE IS PLACED INSEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID HEAD IN REGISTRATION WITH SAID OPENING, ANDSAID FIRST VALVE IS OPENED, A VACUUM WILL BE APPLIED RETAINING SAIDRECEPTACLE THEREON AND CAUSING LIQUID FLOW THERETHROUGH AS SAID SECONDVALVES ARE SELECTIVELY OPENED.